The Old Testament in Eastern Orthodox Tradition

Eugen J. Pentiuc

Fills a vacuum in scholarly literature on this subject

The Old Testament in Eastern Orthodox Tradition

Eugen J. Pentiuc

Description

This study provides a general overview and a succinct analysis of the primary ways in which the Old Testament has been received, interpreted and conveyed within Eastern Orthodox tradition, filling a vacuum in scholarly literature on the history of biblical interpretation. The book is divided into two parts: Reception and Interpretation. Under Reception issues such as unity and diversity of the Christian Bible, text, canon, and Tradition are considered. The second part, Interpretation, focuses on Eastern Orthodox modes of interpretation: discursive and intuitive. Among the discursive modes, the patristic exegesis is chosen as a case study. The intuitive modes representing the so-called "liturgical exegesis" are subdivided into aural (hymns, psalmody, lectionaries) and
visual (portable icons, frescoes, mosaics).A special emphasis is placed on the hallmarks of Eastern Orthodox reception and interpretation of the Old Testament, including: the centrality of Scripture within Tradition, a blend of flexibility and strictness at all levels of the faith community, integrative function and holistic use of the sacred text, a tensed unity of discursive and intuitive modes of interpretation, and a dynamic synergy between formative and informative goals in the use of Scripture.

The Old Testament in Eastern Orthodox Tradition

Eugen J. Pentiuc

Author Information

Eugen J. Pentiuc is Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, Massachusetts. He is the author of three books: West Semitic Vocabulary in the Akkadian Texts from Emar, Long-Suffering Love: A Commentary on Hosea with Patristic Annotations, and Jesus the Messiah in the Hebrew Bible.

The Old Testament in Eastern Orthodox Tradition

Eugen J. Pentiuc

Reviews and Awards

"Both the study and usage of the Old Testament in the Orthodox tradition is undervalued in academic circles today, and Fr. Eugen s work will serve as an authoritative and much-needed work. A noted expert in both Semitic languages and Old Testament studies, Fr. Eugen s unique blend of scholarly finesse and fidelity to Orthodox tradition makes The Old Testament in Eastern Orthodox Tradition a book worthy of our closest attention." --On Behalf of All

"In this extraordinarily learned book, Pentiuc sheds much-needed light on an often neglected aspect of the history of interpretation of the Bible. Appropriately, he discusses not just texts, but ritual and art as well, so that reading his book is like walking into a lavishly ornamented Eastern Orthodox church where the Divine Liturgy is being celebrated. This view from the inside is an invaluable contribution." --Michael Coogan, editor of The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Books of the Bible

"This work is a major event: the first comprehensive and thorough analysis of the role of the Old Testament in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, written by the foremost Eastern Orthodox scholar of Scripture, internationally respected within both Church and Academy alike. Opening up the scriptural culture of Eastern Orthodoxy in all its dimensions, this illuminating volume will richly reward every reader." --V. Rev. Dr. John Behr, Dean and Professor of Patristics, St. Vladimir's Seminary